Just Within Reach
by s82
Summary: During the Battle of Naboo, Obi-Wan finds himself drawn to the one thing that could help him defeat the Sith. But is the price too high for him? TPM AU


Disclaimer: The characters aren't mine. They belong to some guy named Lucas and are used without permission.  
  
Rating: PG *non-slash*  
  
Spoilers: TPM  
  
Summary: During the Battle of Naboo, Obi-Wan gives into something that offers him more power than he could hope for. But, what is the cost?  
  
Notes: This story was written for a challenge to do a "dark" Obi-Wan fic. This just kinda came to me in an hour or something and I had to write it. It's AU (as you'll find out) and I hope plausible.  
  
Feel free to give FB!  
  
**  
  
JUST WITHIN REACH  
By: Susie  
  
**  
  
The darkness was pulling at him, tempting to drag him under its dark current. He could feel the force of it pulsing all around because of the one demon just yards away. The spiked creature paced the front of the red wall releasing the dark emotions at the two Jedi who, though separated, still held the Force together between them. Obi-Wan watched his Master meditate on the ground, gaining energy, as he, himself, paced like a nervous animal. And, in reality, that was what he was. He knew he only had one chance to gain his side next to Qui-Gon. Only one chance---  
  
The red walls deactivated and with it the first two fighters join in battle as the third took off in a sprint to the end of the wall. The lasers turned on, coming to a close just in front of the Padawan. Obi-Wan skidded to a halt, stopping himself before damage could happen. Mentally, he swore.  
  
//Too slow//  
  
With his muscles tensing, Obi-Wan watched Qui-Gon and the Sith battle. The hits came faster than they had before; both fighters having gained needed energy. Obi-Wan silently gave his Master strength to hold out till he could join back in the battle. He watched as Qui-Gon parried a blow only to see the unthinkable occur. The Sith, with a quick reverse, shoved his red bladed light saber into the Jedi's stomach.  
  
"NOOOO!" The cry broke through out the generator room and ended as the Jedi Master's body hit the ground dully. Obi-Wan felt his heart start to pound against his chest as he watched Qui-Gon's body stop moving. The young man looked up to the one who had delivered the deadly blow and saw the Sith smile. The monster's yellowed and crooked teeth mocked Obi-Wan and he felt his face flush with anger.  
  
"One down." The creature's voice was deep and harsh. "One to go."   
  
And the red wall collapsed a second time.  
  
Obi-Wan took off faster then he ever had in all his life. He felt fueled by something- some power that he had never felt before. With new intensity he attacked the Sith, driving him backwards. Though close to being over powered, the Sith never lost his smile. He could feel the young Jedi slowly stepping closer to the Dark Side. He could feel its power trying to grab hold of Obi-Wan. And he loved it.  
  
The Jedi skittered away from the Sith and took a moment to collect his thoughts. The second pause in time was enough for him to realize where his strength had come from. Obi-Wan felt his hands start to shake at the intensity of the Force around him. It wasn't of the Light either.  
  
The Sith, though ready to attack, paused and looked at the Jedi. "Can you feel it? You know you want that power. NEED that power." An evil cackle escaped the monster's lips. "You can't win without it."  
  
Obi-Wan didn't pause to considered the demon's words, but attacked full force tuning himself out to the dark powers that emanated so close. With a quick reverse slice, the Sith's double saber was broken causing the fight to even out some. Still, the dark power pushed at the Jedi, but Obi-Wan held off the temptation.  
  
The Sith watched the Jedi and, at the right moment, when the positioning was just there, he sent a wild force push. The power behind the action caught Obi-Wan off guard and before he could so much as gain footing he felt himself falling.  
  
The air around him was suddenly rushing past the Jedi's ears and he knew this was over- the fight lost, his Master dead. By chance, the young man reached out and felt his body smack soundly against the hard metal and his shoulder nearly pulled out of its sockets from the sudden stop. Reacting quickly, Obi-Wan grip the small holder with his other arm and felt himself dangle.   
  
Looking upwards, he saw the red and black-faced demon smiling down at him. The Jedi watched as his light saber, kicked over the edge, tumbled past him into the abyss.  
  
"Now, you die." The Sith proclaim calmly to the hapless man as he paced the top part of the pit waiting for the Jedi down below to make a move of sorts.  
  
Obi-Wan took a deep breath feeling the Force pulse around him. He needed it now- he knew it was his only savior now. Lightly closely his eyes the Jedi attempted to gain his focus, to call upon the Light.  
  
Only to find it out of his grasp.  
  
The realization almost made the young man slip off his precarious hold. Where was the Light now that he needed to most of all?  
  
"It has left you." The Sith mockingly stated from above the pit where Obi-Wan hung. He had been able to feel the Jedi tried to reach out with the Force- to find his center only to fail.  
  
Obi-Wan did not make a retort, but focused again. This time a wall of dark power hit him, coming so close to filling him with the strength he needed. The Padawan felt his heart race and his hands slip slightly. He needed that power around him and suddenly he---  
  
---wanted it.  
  
Closing his eyes, the young man dropped all shields built in his mind. He lowered anything that would halt this dark power from entering him. He felt the awesome power fill him and consume his soul. As if someone had blown out a match, inside Obi-Wan, the light extinguished leaving only a pit of blackness.  
  
The dangling Jedi looked upwards to the Sith and without any pretense pulled himself out of the pit with the power of the Force. The demon, so shocked, didn't have time to react at all and only open his mouth in surprise as a blade entered his stomach. The Sith took a step back and removed the blade form his stomach.  
  
With a painful gasp he fell to the feet of the Jedi. "You have failed." The monster whispered.  
  
Obi-Wan dropped his Master's saber and it clattered to the ground.  
  
"You have failed." The Sith spoke again and then fell silent as death took its toll. Obi-Wan looked at the dead body and with a viciously kick sent it falling into the bottomless pit where he had hung moments before.   
  
Pausing only to make certain the monster had fell, Obi-Wan moved to the other soul in the room and collapsed to his knees besides the prone Master. Gently, he turned the aging Jedi over and placed Qui-Gon's head in his lap.  
  
"What happened?"  
  
Obi-Wan felt tears rise in his eyes. "He's dead, Master."  
  
Qui-Gon slowly shook his head against the younger man's lap. "No." The Master whispered in a pained voice. "I can't feel you." A shuddering breath passed through Qui-Gon. "Darkness."  
  
The Padawan felt the tears now fall down his face. He knew what Qui-Gon was talking about. The Darkness that now consumed his body.   
  
His soul.  
  
"I am so sorry. I---I---" Try as he might, Obi-Wan could find no explanation. "I'm sorry." The tears gently fell onto Qui-Gon face, but the dying Master paid them no heed.  
  
"Oh, Padawan. Why?"  
  
Obi-Wan said nothing, but gently began to rock murmuring, `I'm so sorry' softly to his Master.   
  
The aging Master felt his breaths coming shorter. "Why?" He asked softly again.  
  
The Padawan didn't answer. "Please forgive me, Master. Please."   
  
Qui-Gon opened his dulling blue eyes and caught those of his Padawan. Forgiveness was being begged for in the blue/green depths, but beneath that, Qui-Gon saw something he had never seen before.  
  
Darkness.  
  
The ocean that appeared to be his apprentice's eyes, swirled around angrily, with a blackness just under the surface.  
  
Qui-Gon opened his mouth to tell his Obi-Wan he was forgiven- that his soul could still be save.  
  
But his heart failed him and the words died on his mouth.  
  
Obi-Wan watched as his Master did not take another breath. "No." The Jedi softly whimpered. "No."  
  
The Padawan shook Qui-Gon's shoulder firmly. "You can't die. You can't leave me alone. What about Anakin? Your Chosen One?" Obi-Wan dropped his head to Qui-Gon's. "You can't leave me alone with the Darkness."  
  
Yet, his Master did not stir and did not wake. The young man began to violently sob against his dead teacher's body. The Sith had been right: Obi-Wan had failed.  
  
He was no longer a Jedi; his soul being tainted by blackness. He no longer had a Master; his slowness killed Qui-Gon. He was a failure.  
  
Slowly, the young man removed his Master's head from his and gently laid it on the ground. With a delicate hand he pushed away a few stray hairs that had fallen over Qui-Gon's face. Bending over, Obi-Wan laid a kiss to his Master's cold forehead.  
  
"Forgive me." He softly muttered and he rose to his feet.  
  
Without a look back, the one time Padawan walked through the places that the deadly battle had taken place only moments before. Each step came faster until Obi-Wan found himself sprinting away from the generator room, but he did not stop there.  
  
Breathing hard, the Jedi ran out of the Palace and down the street. He ran until he could run no further and then he pushed himself. Finally, after traveling into the woods a way, the young man stumbled and fell hard to the ground on all fours. There he stayed for a time attempting to catch his breath and hold the sobs at bay that threatened to over come him.  
  
Finally, Obi-Wan pushed himself back to his feet and stood shaking ever so slightly. Suddenly, he began to hear the first sounds of celebrating in Naboo. Horns and cheers seemed to echo throughout the great city that he had just escaped from. It was then- as he listened to the celebration- he realized the completeness of what had happened.  
  
He had turned.  
  
//Fear leads to anger//  
  
He was filled with the Darkness.  
  
//Anger leads to hate//  
  
He was no longer a Jedi.  
  
//Hate leads to suffering//  
  
He had become what he had always fought to destroy.  
  
It was with this relation that the young man knew what he had to do. Taking a deep breath and squaring his shoulders, he walked away from Naboo.  
  
And it was the last time anyone could remember seeing Obi-Wan Kenobi.  
  
  
Finis. 


End file.
